Benefits of Prestart Meals through the Transition Feeder

Comparison of Tuck Box standard pelleted diets in the 14 days
post-weaning period with Tuck Box Prestarter Meals through the
Transition Feeder.

Tuck Box
Creep Pellets

Tuck Box
Prestart Meals

Number of Pigs

60

60

Average age at start (days)

24.40

23.90

Average weight at start (kg)

7.48

7.44

Average weight at 14 days (kg)

10.81

12.72

Daily Live Weight Gain (g)

238.00

377.00

Feed conversion ratio

1.29

1.19

Feed Used

Pig Creep Pellets (kg)

4.28

0.69

Prestart Meal Number 1 (kg)

-

1.67

Prestart Meal Number 2 (kg)

-

3.94

Total Feed (kg)

4.28

6.30

Pigs on Prestart Meals had improved growth
rates of
58 per cent and improved feed conversion of eight per cent.

Table 2.

Overall performance, weaning to finish of trial pigs in Table
1.

Pigs started on Tuck
Box
Creep Pellets

Pigs started on Tuck
Box
Prestart Meals

Average start weight (kg)

7.48

7.44

Average finish weight (kg)

90.60

91.10

Daily Live Weight Gain (g)

698.00

796.00

Feed conversion ratio

2.12

1.96

Total feed per pig (kg)

176.25

163.97

Mortality (%)

nil

nil

Number of days to finish

119.10

105.10

Pigs on Prestart Meals in the initial 14
days had improved growth rates of 14 per cent
and improved feed conversion of eight per cent achieving slaughterweight
14 days quicker,
resulting in financial benefit of over £2 per pig.